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January 13, 2011

District plans $13-million in cuts Details of staff, program reductions to be announced Jan. 24 By NATE ELLIS ThisWeek Community Newspapers Pickerington Local School officials said they will announce $13-million in staffing and education program reductions on Jan. 24. Two months after the narrow failure of an 8-mill replacement levy that would have generated $7.586-million in new revenue, the day of reckoning is nearly here for the Pickerington Local School District. Superintendent Karen Mantia said Monday she will detail $13-million in cuts to the district’s budget at the PLSD Board of Education’s next meeting, slat-

ed for 7 p.m. at Heritage Elementary. The cuts are needed, Mantia and PLSD treasurer Dan Griscom said, to offset expected reductions in funding from the state, decreases in local home valuations and stagnant job growth and development within the community. Additional uncertainty surrounding an estimated $8-billion to $10-billion shortfall in the upcoming state budget has led district officials to push the amount of cuts from $9-million to $13million while they pursue options to place another levy before voters at some point in 2011. “I’m speechless because there aren’t many answers we can provide,” Man-

tia said. “On Jan. 24, we will have to make an announcement of reductions of $13million.” It’s unclear how many teachers, staff members and educaKaren Mantia tion programs will be affected. When district officials were facing $9-million in cuts following the November levy’s defeat by 130 votes, Mantia said the jobs of up to 43 teachers and 42 staff members would either be eliminated or reduced. Additionally, the district’s adminis-

tration and board of education were considering cuts in extracurricular programs and bus services to students, as well as fully funded pay-to-participate fees and the possible elimination of music, art and physical education for students in kindergarten through sixth grade. “Our challenge is really great,” Mantia said. “I hope you understand this is really tough business here, and the tough business to me is how do you maintain the quality (of education)?” Prior to Mantia’s remarks, Griscom provided a financial update, which noted that 2010 property tax collections within the district were down $400,000 and income tax collections for fiscal year

By NATE ELLIS ThisWeek Community Newspapers

By Chris Parker/ThisWeek

Amberly Champer and Lincoln Miller take a sled ride down a hill while Cameron Miller (above left) and Lawson Miller watch Jan. 8 at Sycamore Creek Park.

See PICKERINGTON CITY COUNCIL, page A6

Pickerington creates ice rink in Victory Park By NATE ELLIS ThisWeek Community Newspapers Ice skating and pick-up hockey games will now be options for winter enthusiasts in Pickerington after the city recently created an ice rink in Victory Park. Pickerington’s first public ice rink was established last week, after Mayor Mitch O’Brien and parks and recreation department officials initiated the project.

See DISTRICT PLANS, page A3

Sauer, Barletta to lead council in 2011

Pickerington SNOW MUCH FUN City Council sets its 2011 structure Pickerington City Council used its first meeting of the year on Jan. 4 to reorganize membership to its four committees. In addition to appointing Brian Sauer and Tony Barletta as council president pro tempore and vice president pro tempore, respectively, council members appointed Cristie Hammond to chair the public safety and community affairs committee, formerly known as the safety committee. The public safety and community affairs committee will meet on Wednesday following council’s second meeting of each month at 6:30 Cristie p.m. at City Hall. Hammond The committee’s principal responsibility is citizen review and input regarding the Pickerington Police Department. The committee also oversees lands and buildings, general safety-related topics, refuse collection and recycling, and the city’s parks. Tricia Sanders was appointed to serve as the committee’s vice chairperson, and will be council’s representative to the Pickerington’s parks and recreation board. Jeff Fix will serve as the committee’s secretary in 2011, and he’ll also serve as a city nuisance abateTricia Sanders ment board member.

2010 were down $800,000. He said uncertainty in the state budget has led him to anticipate another drop in state funding of $5-million, which he said is particularly troubling because the state provides 51 percent of the district’s total funding. Additionally, Griscom said Pickerington’s per-pupil spending remains low, but due to the state’s funding formula for schools and because there is little industry within the district, its per-pupil revenue also is low. He noted Pickerington spent $9,623 per pupil in fiscal year 2009, which was

Fortified by polyvinyl chloride piping and a heavyduty plastic lining, the 20-foot by 100-foot temporary rink has been constructed on the east side of Victory Park, near O’Brien Shelter. It’s open for public use, but is dependent on temperatures staying low enough to freeze the approximately four inches of water that creates the skating surface. According to O’Brien, it’s the latest attempt by the city to expand its parks and rec services for popular winter activities, such as ice skating and hockey.

The rink also will serve as a trial facility. If it’s well received and used by the public, more elaborate or permanent features might be added in future years. “I initiated the idea of exploring the feasibility of a rink once it appeared we would be facing another unusually early freeze this winter,” O’Brien said. “I believe that adding this low-cost facility greatly

Brian Sauer and Tony Barletta were tapped last week to lead Pickerington City Council as the group’s president pro tempore and vice president pro tempore, respectively. During their first meeting of the new year on Jan. 4, council members retreated to an executive session to determine the group’s leadership for 2011. When the private confab broke, members unanimously voted to appoint Sauer, who is entering his third year on council, as president pro tempore, and BarBrian Sauer letta, now in his second year on council, as vice president pro tempore. “I am humbled and honored by the support other council members have given me in their unanimous support,” Sauer said. “I don’t take it lightly and will do my best to make sure all on council have their opinions heard and included as we move through this year, much like Councilwoman (Tricia) Sanders did last year.” Sauer, a 34-yearold data analyst with Tony Barletta Twenty First Century Communications in Columbus, spent 2010 as council’s vice president pro tempore. He was elected to council in November 2007 and took office the following January.

See ICE RINK, page A2 See SAUER, BARLETTA, page A2